Food manufacturer Nestlé has announced the creation of the Nestlé Institute of Packaging Sciences, which will be committed to developing functional, safe and environmentally-friendly packaging solutions.

The company said that it is a step towards its commitment to make 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025.

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Nestlé chief executive Mark Schneider said: “We want to be a leader in developing the most sustainable packaging solutions for our food and beverage products. To achieve this, we are enhancing our research capabilities to develop new packaging materials and solutions. Through this, we hope to address the growing packaging waste problem, in particular plastics. We aim to minimise our impact on the natural environment while safely delivering to our consumers healthier and tastier products.”

The new Institute is part of Nestlé’s global research organisation, and will be located in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Working with the Company’s global R&D network, academic partners, suppliers and start-ups, the institute will aim to examine the safety and functionality of various sustainable packaging materials.

The research areas will include: recyclable, biodegradable or compostable polymers, functional paper, as well as new packaging concepts and technologies to increase the recyclability of plastic packaging.

New solutions will be tested in various product categories before they are rolled out across Nestlé’s global portfolio.

Nestlé chief technology officer Stefan Palzer said: “Packaging plays a crucial role in helping us deliver safe and nutritious products to our consumers. The new Institute of Packaging Sciences will enable us to accelerate the redesign of our packaging solutions. Cutting-edge science as well as a close collaboration with globally leading academic institutions and industrial partners will deliver a pipeline of highly performing environmentally friendly packaging solutions.”